“Use by” and “best before” are not interchangeable. In the UK, a use-by date is about food safety, while a best-before date is about quality. Confusing the two can lead either to unnecessary food waste or to eating food after the point when it should no longer be consumed.
The Food Standards Agency explains that use-by dates relate to safety and best-before dates relate to quality. That distinction is the starting point for every decision in this guide.
This article explains what each label means, what you can safely do before a use-by date passes, when food may still be acceptable after a best-before date, and how to organise food at home so fewer items are forgotten.
Use-by dates: the safety deadline
A use-by date appears on foods that can become unsafe after a relatively short time, such as some chilled ready-to-eat foods, fresh meat and certain dairy products. The date is not simply a suggestion about taste or texture.
The FSA advises that food should not be eaten after its use-by date, even if it looks and smells normal. Harmful bacteria may be present without obvious changes in appearance or smell.
If a product says “use by 26 September”, the safe decision is to use it by that date while following the storage instructions, or cook or freeze it before the date passes where appropriate.
Best-before dates: mainly about quality
A best-before date tells you when the producer expects the food to retain its intended quality. After that date, texture, flavour, crispness or colour may decline, but that is different from a use-by safety limit.
Foods with best-before dates often include dry pasta, rice, biscuits, cereals, tins, frozen foods and many shelf-stable products.
That does not mean every product stays perfect forever. Packaging damage, poor storage, mould, pests or spoilage can still make food unsuitable. The key point is that the printed best-before date itself is not the same type of safety cut-off as a use-by date.
A simple rule to remember
- Use by: safety. Do not eat after the date.
- Best before: quality. Food may still be usable after the date if stored correctly and still in acceptable condition.
Can you smell food to check a use-by date?
No. Smell is not a reliable safety test for food after a use-by date. Some harmful bacteria do not produce a noticeable smell, colour change or visible spoilage.
Use sensory checks mainly for foods with best-before dates, where quality rather than the printed date is the main issue.
Can you freeze food on its use-by date?
Food can generally be frozen before the use-by date expires if the packaging and storage instructions allow it. The safest low-waste habit is not to wait until late at night on the final day: freeze food earlier if you already know you will not use it.
Label the frozen item with what it is and the date you froze it. That prevents the freezer becoming a place where food simply disappears for months.
Can you cook food on the use-by date?
Yes, provided the food has been stored correctly and the use-by date has not passed. Once cooked, cool it safely and follow appropriate storage guidance for the cooked food.
Do not use cooking as a way to “rescue” food that is already past its use-by date.
Why storage instructions matter
A printed date assumes the food has been stored as instructed. If a chilled product has been left warm for too long, the date on the pack does not magically guarantee safety.
Keep chilled foods refrigerated promptly and follow any “once opened” instructions. The FSA also recommends checking fridge temperature and keeping chilled food properly cold.
What does “display until” or “sell by” mean?
These labels are mainly used by retailers for stock control. They are not the same as the consumer-facing safety and quality dates you should use at home.
For household decisions, focus on “use by” and “best before”, plus the storage and opening instructions on the pack.
What about eggs?
Eggs usually carry a best-before date rather than a use-by date, but they still require sensible handling and cooking. Follow current FSA guidance and the instructions on the pack, especially for people more vulnerable to foodborne illness.
What about milk?
Milk labelling can vary. Some products use use-by dates while others use best-before dates. Follow the actual label on the carton rather than assuming all milk should be treated the same way.
How to organise your fridge around use-by dates
Put the products with the shortest safe life where you can see them. A simple “eat first” shelf or basket can help.
When you unpack groceries, move older products forward and place newer ones behind them. This basic first-in, first-out habit can reduce waste without requiring a complicated app or spreadsheet.
Plan meals around the most perishable items
If you have fresh fish with a use-by date tomorrow, a bag of carrots that will last several days and dry pasta with a long best-before date, use the fish first. Build meal plans around food that genuinely needs using sooner.
BetterCare’s meal planning for one person guide explains how to build a week around perishability rather than buying seven unrelated dinners.
Do not throw away best-before food automatically
If a product is past its best-before date, check the packaging, storage history and the food itself. A slightly stale cracker may be lower quality but not automatically unsafe. A damaged tin, mouldy bread or pest-contaminated flour is a different issue.
Examples of foods often carrying best-before dates
- dry rice and pasta;
- breakfast cereals;
- biscuits and crackers;
- tinned foods;
- frozen foods;
- many sauces and condiments;
- flour and other baking ingredients.
Examples of foods often carrying use-by dates
- fresh meat and fish;
- some chilled ready meals;
- some soft dairy products;
- prepared chilled salads and sandwiches;
- other highly perishable chilled foods.
Always read the actual label because packaging and processing methods vary.
What if a package has been opened?
Opening can change how long a food should be kept. A product may say “use within 2 days of opening” even though the printed use-by or best-before date is later.
Follow the shorter instruction. Write the opening date on the pack if you know you will forget.
What if the packaging is damaged?
Bulging cans, leaking packs, broken seals, mould or unusual spoilage signs should not be ignored simply because the date is still valid. The date assumes the packaging has remained intact and the food has been handled properly.
A low-waste fridge check that takes two minutes
Once a day or every other day, scan the front of the fridge for items with use-by dates approaching. Ask three questions: can I eat this today, can I cook it today, or should I freeze it now?
That habit is more useful than discovering several expired products at the end of the week.
Use food labels together, not in isolation
The date label is only one part of the pack. Read storage instructions, opening instructions and cooking directions too.
If you are also comparing nutrition, BetterCare’s guide to UK food labels explains calories, salt, sugars, saturated fat and fibre.
Best-before dates and food waste
Throwing away every product the moment the best-before date passes can create unnecessary waste. At the same time, trying to “save” food beyond a use-by date is the wrong place to economise.
The practical goal is to understand which date is about safety and which is about quality, then organise food so fewer products reach either date unused.
What if you are cooking for one?
Single-person households can struggle to finish larger packs before use-by dates. Buy smaller packs when the price difference is reasonable, freeze portions early, and choose ingredients that work across several meals.
BetterCare’s grocery shopping for one person guide covers pack-size and low-waste planning in more detail.
What if you are meal prepping?
Do not rely only on the original ingredient date once food has been cooked and combined. Cool, refrigerate or freeze prepared food safely and follow current leftover guidance.
See BetterCare’s meal prep for one person guide for a practical weekly system.
A quick decision guide
If it says use by: use, cook or freeze it before the date passes, following the storage instructions.
If it says best before: assess quality and condition rather than automatically discarding it on the printed date.
If the pack is damaged or storage has been poor: the printed date may no longer be enough reassurance.
When in doubt, prioritise safety
Saving money and reducing waste are worthwhile, but not at the cost of food safety. A missed best-before date may simply mean lower quality. A missed use-by date is different.
What if a food has both a date and special storage instructions?
Follow both. A chilled product may carry a use-by date and also say “keep refrigerated below 5°C” or “use within 2 days of opening”. The shortest relevant instruction is the one that matters in practice.
If the pack says use within 2 days of opening and you opened it four days before the printed use-by date, the opening instruction becomes the limiting factor.
What if the best-before date has rubbed off?
If a best-before date is unreadable, consider when you bought the product, whether the packaging is intact and how it has been stored. For foods where the date is safety-critical, do not guess. If you cannot establish whether a use-by date has passed, caution is the safer approach.
How to reduce date-related waste when shopping online
When a delivery arrives, check the shortest-dated chilled items first. Plan those meals earlier in the week and freeze suitable products promptly if you know they will not be used in time.
This is especially useful when substituted items arrive with a shorter life than expected.
A practical date-label routine for households
Once or twice a week, scan the fridge for use-by dates and the cupboard for opened best-before products. Move short-life foods forward, freeze what you will not use, and build the next meal around what needs attention first.
This keeps date labels useful rather than turning them into something you only notice when food is already unusable.
Use the right question for the right date
For a use-by date, ask: “Has the safety deadline passed?” For a best-before date, ask: “Has quality declined, is the packaging intact, and has it been stored correctly?” Those are different decisions and should stay different.
Reviewed: September 2026. General UK household food-safety information based on current Food Standards Agency guidance.
